Building block spacer



0d. 31, 1950 P BURRQWAY 2,527,985

BUILDING BLOCK SPACER Filed July 15, 1946.

INVENTOR Patented Oct. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I aszmss f"p 5 BUILDING BLOCK SPACER Paul M. Burroway, Phoenix, Ariz. 1 ApplicationJuly 15, 19 .6, Serial No. 683,742 aoiaims. (Cl. 72-101).

This invention pertains to a building block spacer for use inand as apart of wall-construction wherein glass blocks are set in mortar toproduce a translucent wall of desirable qualities.

In laying up glass blocks more care is needed than with brick or othersimilar building material. This is due to the fact that glass blocks areheavy and since they do not absorb water from the mortar, as is the casewith brick or concrete block, the mortar should be used in a firmer mixto support the weight of the-block.

Further, since the mortar sets slowly, only a few courses can be laid uat a'time. Otherwise the weight of freshly laid-blocks will press outmortar in the lower courses. Special fast setting mortar is sometimesused in order to combat this condition, but since it requires extralabor and equipment on the job, it is frequently found inconvenient touse.

Glass blocks are laid up in straight courses and tiers rather thanoverlapping, and .for this reason some type of mortar reinforcing isnecessary, and it is important that the blocks be evenly spaced, bothhorizontally and vertically. C

In view of the foregoing, one of the objects of my invention is toprovide spacers, which maybe inserted in the mortar, between blocks, asthey are laid up which will afforda semi-rigid support in addition toand in conjunction with the mortar, and so that the horizontal andvertical tiers may be accurately spaced and alined.

Another object is to provide a spacing device for use in laying up glassblocks which will 'act as both a horizontal and vertical spacer for theblocks as they are laid, provide extra reinforcing to the wall, andwhich will have sufficient resilience and adjustment movement to allowfor the variations in dimensions of blocks incident to quantitymanufacture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

I attain the foregoing objects by means of the devices shown in theaccompanying drawing in which,

Figure 1 is an end view of one form of my block spacer;

Figure 2, a side view thereof;

Figure 3, an elevational view of a different shaped end element;

Figure 4, an elevational view of a slightly different shaped endelement;

Figure 5, an end elevational view 6f a modified form of spacer;

Figure 6, a side view thereof;

Figure 7, a plan view of a further. modified form of spacer;

Figure 8, an elevation thereof; I

Figure 9, a plan'view of a fragmentary portion of a wall incorporatingone of my spacers;

Figure 10, an elevation of a fragment of a wall incorporating my spacer,taken substantially on line Hllll of Figure 9; 1

Figure 11, a semi-diagrammatic view of a portion of a wall illustratingthe use of the various In the form shown in Figures 1 and 2, the

spacerconsists of the cross shaped end pieces .2

and 3 held together by'the tie bar 4. The end pieces may be stamped fromsheet'metal such as aluminum, galvanized iron, or light sheet steel, orfrom stiff fiber, plastic or other similar material.

The tie bar can be made of similar material.

The end pieces are punched to the cruciform shape shown with the arms 6having a width which determines the spacing required between theadjacent faces of the blocks, and a length ordinarily somewhat greaterthan the width. The tie bar 4 is first made with swedged inner shouldersI. The end pieces are then setin place and the ends 8 peened over. Theend pieces are not riveted tightly in place, but are free to rotate onthe bar.

The end forms In shown in Figure 3 are used where a joint abuts a fiatsurface, those shown in. Figure 4 indicated by numeral H are for use incorners.

The spacer ends 2| shown in Figures 5 and 6 have the arms corrugated toprovide a better hold in the mortar and are advantageous in certaininstallations. Those shown in Figures 7 and 8 are particularly usefulwhere blocks are laid upon a curve or arc.

' In use blocks 25 are laid in the usual manner, but after spreading amortar bed 26 for the next course of blocks, the separators or spacersare inserted into the mortar so that one of the vertical arms of eachend piece is positioned between each group of adjacent blocks. The hori-Zontal arms then rest on the upper faces of the adjacent blocks as shownin Figures 9 and 10 ready to receive and support the lower faces of thenext course. When installed the spacers occupy the position shown inFigure 10, with their end pieces contacting the edges of each of thefour blocks :2, !3, M and I5, and with the bar Q imbedded in the mortarin the center of the 3 joint. The end pieces are set in from each wallface a sufficient distance so as to be adequately imbedded in the mortarl6, and the bar spaces the pieces sufficiently as shown in Figure 9 sothat block and wall support is in two spaced vertical planes sufiicientto provide lateral stability.

The use of the various shaped end pieces is illustrated in Figure 11,where the form l i shown in Figure 4 rests in the lower left hand cornerbetween the block 25 and sill H and frame l8; the form Ill shown inFigure 3 rests along the sill or frame and the adjacent blocks, and theforms 5, shown in Figures 1 and 2 are placed between the several blocks25.

It is not intended that the material of the spacers be so heavy as to beentirely rigid but it should be light enough to provide a semi-rigid orresilient support.

Where the wall is subject to more than usual wind stress, or vibration,end pieces of the corrugated form shown in Figures 5 and 6 may be used.The installation and function of this form isthe same as with the otherforms above mentioned except that th'm type provides additional holdingpower in hardened mortar. Where courses are laid on a curved plan theforms shown in Figures 7 and 8, having curved and corrugated side armsis used.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a device whichis easily installed, af-

fords support and proper spacing for building blocks, of the typeconcerned and in no way mars the appearance of the finished wall. Thespacers are completely embedded in the mortar. At the same time theyre-enforce the wall. While the spacing devices are particularly adaptedto the laying of glass blocks in straight courses and tiers in a singlethickness wall, it will be readily understood that some of the variousforms shown might be used with other types of masonry.

Having now fully described my invention and explained its use I wish tobe limited only by the following claims.

I claim:

l. A spacer for embedding in mortar joints between blocks of wall blockconstruction comprising, in combination, a pair of end pieces of thinsemi-resilient metal having four arms extending outward in cruciformmanner, said arms being corrugated to strengthen the bond when em beddedin hardened mortar, and a transverse spacer bar having swedged stopsforming inner shoulders near each endthereof, and continuingthere-beyond to provide journals, said journals being loosely fitted inthe center of each of said end pieces, and peened over at the ends toretain said end pieces thereon, substantially at right angles to theaxis of said bar.

2. A spacer for imbedding in mortar forming joints between wall blockconstruction, comprising in combination, a pair of end pieces of thinsemirresilient sheet metal having four arms extending outward from thecenter in cruciform manner, and a transverse spacer bar having swedgedshoulders forming stops near each end, with the end portions of each barextending beyond said stops and loosely journalled in the center of eachof said end pieces, and peened over at the ends to retain said endpieces thereon, substantially at right angles to the axis of said bar.

3. A spacer for embedding in mortar between blocks of wall blockconstruction, comprising in combination, a pair of end pieces of thinsemiresilient metal having four arms extending outward in cruciformmanner, and a transverse spacer bar having swedged stops formingshoulders, and with the bar extending there-beyond at each end andloosely journalled in the center of each of said end pieces and peenedover at the ends to retain said end pieces thereon transversely of thebar between the shoulders and the peened ends.

PAUL M. BURROWAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 416,428 Sinclair Dec. 3, 1889849,144 Lauer Apr. 2, 1907 1,053,231 Schweikert Feb. 18, 1913 1,503,148Bernstrom July 29, 1924 2,227,842 Polivka Jan. '7, 1941

